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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30138207">The Butterfly Collection</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShinyPumpkin/pseuds/TheShinyPumpkin'>TheShinyPumpkin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adrinette, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, Multi, ladrien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:28:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,663</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30138207</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShinyPumpkin/pseuds/TheShinyPumpkin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Adrien was always most happy when others were suffering. There was no cruel streak to him, no desire to see the world burn, but nothing compared to the warm smiles he earned as he brought civilians to safety, and for an eternity that would have been enough. With Paris in peril he was able to slip into the shadows, to pull off the mask of Adrien and finally be Chat Noir, Chat Noir who had no concerns about a missing mother or an overbearing father. Miraculous', however, are not a thing to be hidden away. Whether they are a gift or a burden they must be shared, and so the group of Miraculous holders grows and grows like a horrid weed until Adrien is left feeling wary of his place. When faced with the reveal of Hawk Moth is he destined to lose two homes at once?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Butterfly Collection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This work is based on the original concept for Miraculous and may deviate from the current show. It includes first draft characters such as Claude and Allegra. Marinette will not be a stalker, akumas won't target adults for minor inconveniences, and the kwamis will be altered.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gabriel Agreste, rather publicly, collected butterflies.</p><p>Colourful little creatures, splashed with purple, green and blue that were capable of drinking tears, blood and sweat. They needed it to survive, they craved it to live, and they were all the more beautiful for it. Adrien had never taken a liking to the craft as his father had, the sight of the poor creatures being delicately spread and pinned made him sick to his stomach, and yet he couldn't look away. It was one of the few times his father was nearby, it was one of the few times he was allowed to speak to him almost freely, two whole sentences before he was dismissed.</p><p>"That's a blue morphos, isn't it, father?" Adrien asked as he watched his father reach into the small enclosure, plucking the creature by its fuzzy little body. He adjusted his fingers just slightly, pinching the thorax with his forefinger and thumb. It was the best way to kill it without damaging its wings, and freshly killed butterflies still had pliable bodies, easier for pressing. Adrien clasped his hands behind his back, green eyes firmly fixed on the sight. He knew better than to look away, if he looked away he'd simply be asked why he had come in the first place.</p><p>"A rarity, it's why I have started breeding them." Gabriel replied without turning his gaze from his work, wholly fixated on the butterfly's wings. "She's a wonderful specimen, isn't she?'</p><p>"Yes father, but there's one thing I don't understand."</p><p>"What is it?'</p><p>"Why do you just collect butterflies?"</p><p>"Beautiful things exist to be preserved, to be kept."</p><p>"There's plenty of other colourful insects, like ladybugs or-"</p><p>Gabriel's hand had slipped, and now he was left with a blooded needle, one that had done worse than cut him. It had torn through the butterfly's wing, ruining it completely. For a few moments he didn't speak, simply staring down at the creature with disdain before tossing it into a nearby bin and drying his fingers with a silk handkerchief, cleansing himself of the entire affair. The frown that had tugged at his lips, threatening to spread into a scowl faded, leaving him little more than expressionless. Finally, he spoke. "There are, but how could one possibly compare to a butterfly's wings? That will be all, Adrien."</p><p>He hadn't raised his voice, he hadn't hurled insults, and yet his goodbye lingered on Adrien's mind as he slipped into his room. A glance towards the glass walls revealed a wonderful sky, swirling with stars with a glimmering crescent moon, smothered by pale, puffy clouds. Adrien leaned against the hard wood of the door for a moment, his fingers trailing over the wall until they found the switch. The room was left in darkness, the only light shining in from the windows as he slumped against the door, trembling fingers combing through blond hair. In a swirl of black smoke a cat appeared, its body as intangible as smoke as the tail flickered playfully from side to side.</p><p>"Leave." Plagg suggested, sitting by him and yawning tiredly. "That's what he asked you to do, didn't he?"</p><p>"Where would I even go?"</p><p>"To someone who doesn't get his only enjoyment from skewering butterflies to the wall." The cat replied, pushing its front paws down onto the carpet and stretching. Plagg bared his fangs for a moment, a mischievous grin on his lips. "Just for one night, the stars look better without glass in the way."</p>
<hr/><p>Chat Noir ran, he ran as though he'd never get the chance to again, and by the time he'd exhausted himself leaping from rooftop to rooftop, he found himself in a familiar place. The scent of honey buns wafted through the air, wrapping around him like a blanket and forcing his shoulders to relax. That smell... the glass door to the rooftop was slightly ajar, and there was no doubt someone would have heard him, from the rapid footsteps across the tin roof to the clumsy landing on the balcony. It would be alright, he knew the person inside rather well, he'd been on that rooftop more times than he could remember. No, <em>Adrien</em>  knew the person inside. Marinette, the same Marinette who had made him an admittedly ugly friendship bracelet of green beads and letter cubes. Needless to say, he wore it every day, but for the first time he didn't want her to see him, it was something not even she would understand, and so he pressed himself against the wall, sinking into the shadows as a head peered out. Blue pigtails, bluer eyes, wide with a hint of fear as they peered into the night sky. She had wrapped a blanket around herself as though it would protect her from whatever she believed was out there. No, it was wrong to leave her scared like that, sitting there in silence made him feel like a creep, and so he took a step towards the light, clasping his hands behind his back.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He said, earning a startled yelp, She turned to face him, but he simply held a finger to his own lips and smiled.</p><p>"Well consider me scared." She replied, quietly stepping out onto the rooftop and shutting the door behind her. Rather abrupt for Marinette, but he had been the one skulking around her house, it was well deserved, he'd concede to that.</p><p>"I was out on patrol and I stumbled here, I didn't mean to wake you. I was actually just about to go-" He began, yet this time she was the one to cut him off.</p><p>"Why do you look so exhausted?" She asked, staring up at his face. It was reddened from running, and it was only then he realised just how hard he'd been trying to make up for the lost air. "Is there an akuma? Where's Ladybug?"</p><p>"I'm fine, it's just a little exercise." </p><p>"Are cats nocturnal?" She pried, ever perceptive. </p><p>"I don't really know but we can see in the dark-"</p><p>"Are you just going to keep standing there and lying to me?"</p><p>"I... no, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to end up here. I just... I just had a long night and..." Chat Noir managed, leaning against the railing of the balcony and staring up at the night sky.</p><p>It was then that something wrapped around his shoulders, a certain warmth. It wasn't a hug, no, it was a blanket, and the girl who had given it to him was beside him, leaning on the railing. Beneath it she wore a pink and white polka dot shirt with pink pajama shorts, she must have been freezing, and yet before he could speak she beat him to it. His ears perked up, and a single glance at those deep green eyes could tell anyone he was confused.</p><p>"It's okay, I get it. You've had a long night" She said, a patient smile on her lips. "Do you want to talk about it?"</p><p>"I've never really been the best at talking."</p><p>"Really? You're kind of famous for the relentless jokes," She teased, her playfulness faltering as his ears drooped. She frowned, standing upright and gently patting his back. "Wait here, and don't go anywhere."</p><p>She'd stepped inside, and his instincts told him he had overstayed his welcome. Leave, they begged, but where would he go? He didn't want to go home just yet.</p><p>She returned to his side, with a fluffy robe and a plate of honeybuns.</p><p>"Take one," She demanded. </p><p>"I really shouldn't, you know, gloves get sticky." He replied, and so she picked one up, holding it to his lips. She seemed insistent on taking care of him, and the grumpiness on her face was enough to earn a soft chuckle, he took a bite, his tail beginning to wave around the air.</p><p>"It's good, did you make it?" He asked curiously. "I just realised, I never even got your name." A white lie, despite the magic surrounding his miraculous, the fear of being unmasked always remained. Plagg had said the ring stopped people from connecting the dots, from putting every feature together to make a whole picture or matching it with anything else, yet the worry remained. If he was indeed recognised, he'd have to choose a life. Family or freedom, loneliness or light, it was too much to consider on such a late night.</p><p>"Marinette. I help my parents downstairs at the bakery sometimes." </p><p>"Oh yeah? I think I met your parents, they gave me a box of unsold macaroons after I saved them from-"</p><p>"The Puppeteer, well, Manon. She was mad about not getting a second vanilla slice." Marinette said with a grin, feeding him the last of the honeybun before shaking the crumbs off. </p><p>"Well as someone who now counts as a regular at your bakery, after freeloading twice, I can understand why." He replied, turning to face her with the blanket still wrapped around him and a bright smile. "You know, if you feed stray cats they keep coming back." He joked.</p><p>Marinette reached up, gently ruffling his hair and replying without a hint of mockery. "You can come back any time you need to, kitty. I'm just sorry you couldn't go to Ladybug, maybe she could have helped with whatever is bothering you."</p><p>"The communicator is only for emergencies. I mean, Bugaboo is great but she's a bit of a stickler for the rules. Besides, I didn't want to bother her."</p><p>"I'm sure she'd understand, I mean, this is an emergency."</p><p>"It's really not that big a deal, I'm okay."</p><p>"Well, what if you stayed a little longer and let me look at the constellations with you? We could both be okay together."</p><p>"Just for one night, I don't want to keep you up... princess."</p><p>"Save the petnames for someone who likes them, like Ladybug."</p><p>"Jokes on you, she doesn't really like them either."</p>
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